1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air intake for a vacuum-conveyance waste collection system, and more particularly, to an air intake for a vacuum-conveyance waste collection system, to form a high-speed air flow by allowing air to enter a conveying line through which waste being put into a waste receiving device is conveyed to a central waste collection station.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a vacuum-conveyance waste collection system (i.e., a waste transfer system) is installed in a housing development area. This system uses the same principle as that of a vacuum cleaner used at home. In this system, when waste is put into a waste receiving device installed at a certain place, the waste is conveyed from the waste receiving device to a central waste collection station through a waste conveying line buried underground, by a computer control system.
In most cases, since the waste receiving device of this waste collection system is installed at a long distance from the central waste collection station, the waste is to be effectively collected and conveyed to the central waste collection station through the conveying line. To this end, air flows into the conveying line, to generate a strong flow. By the flow of air, the waste is conveyed to and collected at the central waste collection station, along the conveying line. This waste collection system is installed at a large scale building area, a multi-unit building area (condominium/apartment) or the like, to provide more pleasant environments.
In the aforementioned waste collection system, an air intake is installed to supply high-speed air into the waste conveying line. Specially, parts of the air intake, which are positioned on the ground, are to secure an air suction channel, to make the admitted air to flow well, and to attenuate a noise generated when sucking the air. To this end, the air intake needs a large opening. When the air intake with a large-area opening is installed at the ground, the appearance around the air intake is not good. Moreover, a sound absorption material is installed inside an air suction side of the parts of the air intake positioned on/above the ground, to attenuate a noise. However, in the case where the external shape of the air intake is made in an unreasonably small size while the sound absorption material is installed inside, the air suction channel becomes too small and therefore the air does not flow well, causing a noise and air suction resistance.
As described above, in the conventional vacuum-conveyance waste collection system, when the external shape of the air intake is unreasonably reduced while the sound absorption material is installed inside the air suction side of the parts of the air intake to be positioned on/above the ground, the resistance generated when the air intake allows air to enter is increased. To deal with this problem, strong vacuum pressure is needed inside the waste conveying line and power consumption is increased accordingly. Moreover, when a vacuum level is increased by generating the strong vacuum pressure inside the conveying line, the flow of air becomes fast by the increase of the vacuum level, increasing a noise.
Therefore, the air intake needs to be designed and manufactured to minimize the noise and resistance of air entered through the air intake.